Five Friends
by Scarlet Phoenix
Summary: Sirius Black, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, James Potter, and Peter Pettigrew. These five friends had no idea that they would change the wizarding world forever in times to come...
1. Chapter 1

fivefriends1

**Chapter 1**

****

"There is no such thing as Platform 9 and 3/4! I knew it, it's all some kind of a joke. Any minute now, some candid camera show is going to appear and laugh hysterically at us all!" Petunia Evans shrieked. 

"No they won't, Petunia!" Lily Evans said to her sister irritably. Her emerald eyes shone with excitement as a finger twirled a lock of her long red hair, remembering the events of the past few days...an owl swooping into the kitchen one day at breakfast and dropping a letter on her lap, discovering she was a witch, going to Diagon Alley and getting supplies to get supplies for her new school, Hogwarts... 

"Dears, don't fight," Their mother said calmly, used to all of the arguing between them. "Platform 9 and 3/4 should be somewhere in between Platforms 9 and 10." 

Just then, a family in billowing, black robes came stalking past. The mother and father were wearing expressions of disgust as they looked around them, and their son did also. They all had black, greasy hair, and the child was extremely pale. Lily's heart nearly jumped into her throat as she realized these people had an owl. They had to be wizards! The parents left, leaving the boy standing there checking over his luggage. 

Her own family was still arguing about where the Platform was, so they didn't notice when Lily walked up to him and asked politely, "Excuse me, but how do you get to Platform 9 and 3/4?" 

The boy turned over to look at her and his face twisted into a sneer. "You don't know?" he asked, his voice incredibly nasty. Seeing her shake her head, he said, "Then you must be Muggle-born." Lily nodded, wondering what he was getting at. His sneer grew more menacing and he hissed, "You shouldn't be allowed to go to Hogwarts, Mudblood. All of you Muggle-born scum should just go back where you came from--" His sentence was cut short as he gasped in pain. 

Lily, not really understanding what he was calling her but realizing it was insults, had twisted his arm behind his back and was holding it there. The boy tried to wiggle free, but Lily wouldn't let go. "What did you call me?" she asked angrily. 

"I called you a Mudblood." he replied defiantly. 

Lily pinned his arm behind him with more force. "And what does that mean?" Once again, he couldn't speak, this time because someone different interrupted him. 

"Go girl with the red hair! I've always wanted to see Snape in pain." Lily, still holding onto the boy's arm, whirled him around and came face-to-face with two other boys. One had dark brown hair and brown eyes and had a muscular build. She realized he was the one that spoke to her. The other was skinny and had messy black hair that stood up in every direction. He also had sparkling blue eyes behind black glasses. 

"So Snape is his name, is it? Well, Snape, let this be a reminder not to call me Mudblood ever again...whatever it means." With that, Lily let go of his arm and Snape glared at them before grabbing his trunk and heaving it away. 

The boy with the glasses shook his head. "He called you a Mudblood?" 

"Pay up, James, I told you he would insult someone before he even got on the train!" The other boy shouted gleefully. Glasses-boy dug around in the pockets of his robe and pulled out several gold pieces--Galleons, Lily realized--and passed them over. "My name's Sirius. Sirius Black. And that greasy git you just taught a lesson was Severus Snape." 

"Hi Sirius. My name's Lily Evans," Lily held out a hand and Sirius shook it, still bounding with energy. 

"James, I'm going into the train to get us a good compartment. Meet me there!" Sirius yelled, then sprinted off towards the solid metal barrier in between Platforms Nine and Ten. Lily watched him carefully...he was running straight towards the wall! 

Lily gasped. "He's going to crash!" James didn't reply, and she continued to watch Sirius run--right when he should have hit the wall and had a concussion, he disappeared. "How did he do that?" she asked, astonished. 

James chuckled. "It's enchanted so that witches and wizards can get through to the Hogwarts Express. You can just walk right through it. I take it you're a first year?" Lily nodded. "And you're Muggle-born." 

"What the deal with me being Muggle-born?!" Lily cried, exasperated. 

"I doesn't mean anything to me, or Sirius. Some wizarding families pride themselves on being 'pure-blooded' and they think Muggle-borns shouldn't be allowed in Hogwarts. Like Snape there. 'Mudblood' is a really foul name for someone born in a Muggle family...about time he got what you gave him. I would've cursed him, but we're not allowed to do magic until we get to the castle." James explained. 

Lily's head swam with all the information. "Oh," was her stupid reply. But at that moment, her mother called, "Lily dear! Over here, sweety!" Lily turned back to James and smiled. "See you on the train," she said kindly. 

"See you." 

Lily walked back over to her family and explained about what just happened. Then she told them that she ought to get going on the train to make sure she got a good seat, and to her luck, they smiled and said okay. Lily's mother started to cry, exclaiming that her baby was so special, going to Hogwarts and being a witch. This made Lily keen on leaving, since they were making a scene, and she quickly kissed her parents good bye. Petunia stuck her tongue out at her, and Lily returned it before pushing her heavy trunk on her trolley towards the barrier. 

She walked a little faster. She was almost there...inches away...she closed her eyes, waiting for the blow, but it never came. She opened her eyes and found herself in front of a giant scarlet train gleaming _Hogwarts Express._ "Woah," she said softly. Not wanting to waste time, Lily took her trunk of the trolley once she got to the steps on the train. Slowly, she raised her trunk step by step until it was on the carpeted floor. She silently thanked her earlier karate lessons for giving her this kind of strength. 

Idiley walking along, she came to a stop in front of a door and heard voices. "And Snape was just standing there, looking evil, while she held his arm!" Lots of laughter followed, and Lily grinned. So, they were re-telling the story of Snape...she pushed the door open. 

Everyone in that particular compartment glanced up. Lily recognized James and Sirius, along with two different boys she'd never seen. One had sandy brown hair and looked kind of sick, the other one was small and kind of chubby with watery eyes. "Here's the lady of the hour!" Sirius proclaimed, jumping up and shaking Lily's hand. 

"Nice job on Snape. I've never seen him before, but he sounds awful. By the way, my name's Remus Lupin," the sick looking boy said from his seat. Lily smiled and at him. 

"I'm Peter Pettigrew," the watery-eyed boy said, voice kind of squeaky. Lily also smiled at him. 

"I'm Lily Evans," Lily said, grinning widely. "Mind if I sit in here?" After hearing them all agree, she went back outside and pushed her trunk in with ease. 

The boy were impressed, she could tell by the looks on their faces. "I used to take karate lessons, it comes in handy," Lily explained, glad to be able to explain something to them rather than the other way around. "Karate is--er--a kind of fighting." 

Sirius's eyes lit up. "You can take fighting lessons? Wicked!" James rolled his eyes and they all laughed. 

A knock sounded on the door, and a witch came in with a giant cart of sweets. "Anything off the cart?" she asked, and everyone leapt up. Lily scanned the cart critically, then decided on some Chocolate Frogs. She paid the lady and sat down. Sirius soon joined her with a package that said _Droobles Best Blowing Gum_, Remus and James had something called _Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans, _and Peter had some Cauldron Cakes. 

James ripped open his package and came out with a white bean. He popped it in his mouth only to spit it back out. "Socks!" he said. Remus laughed. 

"Trust me to get a shoe flavored one now..." He, too, opened his package and pulled out a innocent looking red bean. He slowly bit it in half, then swallowed it with his eyes starting to water. "Jalepeno pepper!" he choked out, then excused himself to go and get some water. 

Lily looked down at her own package of Chocolate Frogs. She took one out and made sure it wasn't moving. Satisfied that it wasn't, she slowly took a bite and grinned. "Good chocolate," she said through a mouthful. 

"What's the card?" Peter asked. 

"Card?" Lily asked blankly. 

"The card in the package." Remus said, having just returned. 

Lily picked up her package and found a card sitting in it, waiting to be picked up. She turned it over and saw that it had a picture on it--and it was _moving!_ It showed a man with a long, white beard and hair and twinkling blue eyes under half moon glasses. Underneath it she read the name Albus Dumbledore--currently Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "The picture moves!" she cried, astonished. 

James said, "Of course it does!" 

Lily looked around at her friends: James, Peter, Remus, and Sirius. She had only been on this train for a few minutes, and she already had the best friends she could ever hope to find. 


	2. Chapter 2

fivefriends2

**Chapter 2**

****

"When I call your name, come put the Sorting Hat on and then walk to the appropriate House," Professor McGonagall said to all the new first years. Lily was starting to like the witch: as strict as she may be, she commanded respect from her students and had things her way. 

"Abberson, Joshua!" A very pale boy shakily walked up the stool and put the Sorting Hat on his head. After a second or two, the Hat screeched to the Hall, "SLYTHERIN!" Lily shuddered. Having read _Hogwarts, A History_, she knew that Slytherin turned out more evil and cruel wizards and witches than any other house. Personally, she wanted to get into Gryffindor, which seemed by far the best house. 

"Avery, Kirk!" Another pale boy walked up to the hat, and Lily couldn't help but whisper to Remus (who was standing in front of her), "Why are they so nervous? It's only a hat." Remus shrugged in reply. "SLYTHERIN!" The Hat screamed again. The Slytherin table once again erupted in cheers. 

McGonagall looked down at her parchment. "Black, Sirius!" Sirius walked confidently up to the Hat, waving at McGonagall before slipping it onto his head. After a moment or two, it announced him as a Gryffindor. Sirius took off the hat, grinning, and walked over to the Gryffindor table, shaking hands with several older students. 

About five or six more students went and got Sorted, and by the time McGonagall called, "Evans, Lily!" each House had at least two new first years. Lily walked up the Hat a little nervously, sat down, and slid the Hat on her head. A tiny voice said in her ear, "_Hello. Let's see...you've got courage, yes...also a smart mind, maybe a little too smart for Ravenclaw...you're cunning, but not enough for Slytherin...Hufflepuff just won't do...yes, dear, you're a _GRYFFINDOR!" The last word was shouted to the Great Hall, and Lily took off the Hat, feeling relieved. She sat down next to Sirius and crossed her fingers that hew new friends would also be in Gryffindor. 

The line was slowly getting shorter and shorter, and each time there was a new Gryffindor, Lily and Sirius would cheer until they became hoarse. Finally, after much waiting, McGonagall called, "Lupin, Remus!" Remus started towards the Hat, even paler than usual. Lily saw him glance up at the staff table and Dumbledore gave him a small wink. It looked as if they'd met each other before...Lily made a mental note to ask him about that later on. About thirty seconds later, the Hat interrupted Lily's wondering by shouting, "GRYFFINDOR!" This time Lily and Sirius cheered louder than ever, and Remus collapsed into a chair beside them. 

"Nerving, Sally!" A girl in front of James glided over to the Hat and then joined the Ravenclaw table. Peter was looking very nervous, and Lily knew why: it was almost his turn. 

Sure enough, the next name to be called was, "Pettigrew, Peter!" Peter, trembling from head to toe, walked up the stool and placed it on his head. Lily, Remus, and Sirius held their breath--"S--GRYFFINDOR!" Lily wasn't sure if she'd heard correctly. The Hat obviously started to say Slytherin, but then changed its mind. Lily shook her head. No matter. Peter was in Gryffindor now! She clapped and cheered. 

"Potter, James!" James, not looking an inch worrisome, placed the Hat over his head. Almost as soon as it touched his head it said, "GRYFFINDOR!" Yes!, Lily thought. 

Sirius yelled, "Go James!" loudly and slapped him on the back as he sat down. 

They all were Gryffindors through and through. 

*** 

One week later, Lily was in a considerably good mood. 

Her classes had been challenging, especially Transfiguration. She hadn't gotten that match to change into a needle, and she doubt she would anytime soon. All she had done was got hers silver and pointy. James and Sirius, on the other hand, managed to make theirs become a perfect needle. McGonagall gave them a rare smile. 

Charms was a different story. James and Sirius did manage to get their feathers to float, but just barely in the air. Lily made hers fly straight into the ceiling, to her delight and James's disappointment. 

History of Magic was deadly boring, taught by an old ghost who people say got up to teach one morning and simply left his body behind, turing into a full-fledged ghost Professor. Lily wondered it he even knew he wasn't among the living, breathing people anymore. Anyway, she prided herself on achieving what Sirius and James couldn't manage to do--she stayed awake in class. 

Defense Against the Dark Arts was Lily's second favorite class, next to Charms. Professor Kiggle, a nice man who obviously knew what he was doing, taught them all about the dangers of certain creatures, particularly vampires. He also told the the class that not all these creatures were dark and evil--just misunderstood. Remus seemed to like when he said that and was very cheerful the rest of the day. 

Astronomy was at midnight every Wednesday, high in the Astronomy Tower. Professor Sinistra made them write down the changes in the stars' patterns, any ways that the planets acted "strangely", and so forth. Peter was a great Astronomer, he caught onto the lesson very quickly. 

Herbology was done in the Greenhouses, and every lesson they would come out of it dirty and sweaty. One boy in their year, Frank Longbottom, was exceptionally good at it, and when Peter had trouble, he gladly offered his assistance. Lily remember thinking to ask him to help her with her Herbology homework that she really didn't understand. 

Every class had suddenly become a contest, because of the bet. Lily bet that she would have the highest grades after she graduated from seventh year, and James bet the same, only saying that he would have the highest average. The wager was ten Galleons, only it wasn't really the gold that mattered to Lily. She wanted desperately to beat James...they had become friendly rivals, always competing. They had even written down the bet and signed it to prove, when they were seventeen, that they had both agreed on it. 

Meanwhile, after Sirius had gotten his second detention in three days, he confessed his own goal: "I want to beat the record for most detentions in Hogwarts history." 

But now Lily was in the present, sitting down next to Remus at dinner that night. Remus was looking very sickly, he occasionally shivered or grimaced in pain, and Lily noticed that he was deathly pale. "Remus, are you all right?" she asked in concern. 

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Remus muttered. At that exact moment, Professor Kiggle walked up to them and laid a hand on his shoulder. 

"Remus...your mother is ill. She requested to see you. You can leave tonight, if you wish." 

Remus stared up at Kiggle for a moment in confusion, then comprehension dawned on his face. "Oh," he said slowly. "I'll come now." He shakily stood up, and with Kiggle's support, made his way out of the Great Hall. 

As soon as they left, Sirius and James came bounding in...and James had purple hair. 

Lily started laughing and couldn't stop. "What--happened--to--you?" she gasped. 

"Sirius thought it would be funny to dye my hair a different color after I pulled a little prank of him myself. It's so funny," James said dryly, while Lily looked closely at Sirius to try and see a prank done to him--and then noticed his eyes, which kept flashing different colors. She laughed once more. "We were practicing for the Slytherins but got a little carried away." He leaned over Lily's clean plate and saw his reflection, then laughed. 

"Where's Remus?" James asked, looking around. 

"Kiggle just came up and said his mother was sick, and he left," Lily said. "I hope she's okay," she added. 

James frowned in thought and Sirius looked a little abashed. "Poor guy doesn't need any more heartache. He's always sick already," Sirius said. Lily nodded in agreement. 

"I feel _so _sorry for Lupin," came a voice from behind them. They all whirled around to see Snape sneering. 

"Shut up, Snape," Lily snapped. Sirius and James stood at her side, wearing a cold look and ready do defend her, if neccessary. 

Snape's lip curled. "I think it's nice that you have to get Black and Potter to back you up because they're the only ones that will hang out with you." 

"_Now, Snape_," Lily said, shaking in rage, "Unless you'd like me to show you what a Muggle-born can do to a certain arm?" James and Sirius howled with laughter and Lily suppressed a small smile. Snape glared before turning on his heel and leaving, to their relief. 

James watched him go, his face a mask of intense dislike. He commented, "Sometimes I wonder exactly how far that stick is shoved up his--" 

"James!" Lily scolded, not wanting him to get (another) detention for foul language. James grinned at her, and she felt her heart flutter. Wait--flutter? Wasn't that what you get when you like someone? No, she told herself, I don't like James--you can't fall in love at eleven! I just like his smile. 

Right? 


	3. Chapter 3

fivefriends3

**Chapter 3**

****

"My name is Professor Yunion. I am your Potions mistress this year, and you will pay attention at all times or face the consequences. I will not have any blunders in here, I expect you to learn property..." Professor Yunion droned on to her class. She was actually quite pretty, with black curls pulled back into a tight ponytail and dark brown eyes, but her bossy and mean attitude stopped anyone from liking her. The class was in the dungeons, and it was extremely cold. Lily hugged herself in attempt to stay warm. 

Suddenly, she wasn't cold anymore. She turned around and saw that James and removed his own cloak (he must have known that it was freezing) and draped it on her. Lily flashed a grateful smile at him and he returned it--and there was that annoying heart "flutter". 

"Miss Evans, would you be so kind to inform us with the answer?" Yunion barked at her. Lily turned her gaze to the professor, aware of every pair of eyes on her. 

"I'm sorry, I don't know," Lily said confidently. One of her life mottos was never be ashamed of yourself, and it worked thus far. 

Yunion's eyes narrowed. "Five points from Gryffindor for not paying attention," she snapped. "And the correct answer was two more added cups of beetle eyes." Lily simply nodded. Yunion turned to the Slytherins and started drilling them, and Lily noticed that even if one of them got it wrong, there were added points to Slytherins for "trying your hardest". 

Lily's face must have showed her disgust, because James whispered from behind her, "She's head of the Slytherin house and she favors them. Not exactly going to win any best professor awards, eh?" 

"Not anytime soon," Lily whispered back. 

*** 

Lily looked up from the book she was reading in the common room the next evening. Remus had finally come back, still looking sickly but saying he felt better. He always dodged the questions about his mother, though, just saying she was also doing better. But that was the past...she could have sworn she heard someone yelling... 

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT, SNAPE!" It was Sirius, without a doubt--no one else could shout that loud. 

She distinctively heard Snape's voice, but couldn't make out what he was saying. The next moment she heard a cry of fury, and then James yelled, "Corloa scarlet and gold!" She heard silence for a moment, then Sirius laughing his head off. The next instant Sirius, James, and Remus were all rushing into the common room, all of them laughing so hard tears were in their eyes. 

"What? What did you do now?" Lily asked eagerly. 

"Snape cursed Peter and made boils pop up all over his face...James retaliated by turning his hair scarlet and gold! It'll stay like that for a week! And there's a Quidditch match in six days, Gryffindor against Slytherin!" Remus said, still grinning. 

"That little git, is Peter okay?" Lily asked, as always more concerned for her friends than anything else. 

Sirius calmed down slightly (as much as he humanly could, still being Sirius) and replied, "He has to stay the night in the hospital wing, but Madam Pomfrey will be able to heal him fine, won't she James?" There was a pause. "James?" No answer. Sirius turned around to see James staring dreamily off into space. "JAMES!" he roared, slapping him on the head. 

James came back to the present. "What? Huh?" 

Lily rolled her eyes. "Never mind...Sickle for your thoughts." 

"Quidditch...me and my dad used to play every day before I came to Hogwarts. I'd always play Chaser, and he'd be Keeper. I'm going to play next year, just wait and see." 

Lily doubted that he was wrong. 

*** 

"Aaaaand the Gryffindor team! Wood, Captain and Keeper! Hadimay, Doors, and Tellman, Chasers! Weasley and Finnigan, Beaters! Lynn, SEEKER!" Katy Jordan screamed over the megaphone a week later at the Quidditch game. The Gryffindor fans screamed their encouragement to their team, almost drowning out Katy. The seven scarlet players waved from their positions on the ground. 

"And the Slytherins," Katy said unenthusiastically. The Slytherins booed at the lack of hospitality, and McGonagall sternly gave Katy one of her glares. "Okay, okay..." Katy grumbled. "Avery, Captain and Chaser. Nott, Keeper. Sapling and Moon, other Chasers. Oppison and Wearing, Beaters. Malfoy, Seeker." The seven green players on the field smiled in smugness. 

"Captains, shake hands," Madam Tower said evenly. Wood and Avery did so, looking as though they wanted to crush each other's hands. "Mount your brooms..." She then blew her whistle, and they were all off. 

Lily saw Lynn rise far above the rest of the players, eyes glancing around for any sign of the Snitch. _This is much more exciting than Hogwarts, a History makes it sound, _she thought happily. It was no wonder James dreamed of playing it. 

The red ball (_Quaffle, _Lily reminded herself) was being passed from player to play. She listened closely to the commentary: 

"Doors makes a nice pass to Tellman, who bobs it over the head of Moon, and there is is, back to Doors--wait! Intercepted by Avery! He's flying down the field, Quaffle in hand...oh, that must have been painful, Blugder hit by Finnigan hits the tail of his broom, and he spins...the Quaffle's out of his hand! It's taken by Hadimay--she's using that broom to full speed--takes a shot at Nott--IT'S IN! 10-0 Gryffindor!" 

The Gryffindors screamed with delight and Hadimay punched a fist in the air. Then the Quaffle came back her way, and she caught it and zoomed over to Doors before handing it over. Doors made a movement, acting like she was going to pass to Tellman, but put on a bust of speed and shot upwards. The slow Slytherins raced upwards, following her, but it was too late. She made a simple pass to Tellman, who by this time was hovering near the goals, and he made a goal, making it 20-0 Gryffindor. 

Suddenly, Malfoy made a dive plummeting downwards. Lynn immediately followed, and they were racing neck-and-neck towards the ground--at the last minute, Lynn pulled out of it, and Malfoy, caught by suprise, did too (narrowly missing the ground). Lily looked to Katy to explain. "And Malfoy tries a Wronksy Feint, only to be discovered by Lynn who pulls out just in time!" 

During the dives by the Seekers, no one noticed Sapling seize the Quaffle and speed towards the Gryffindor goal. Too late, Wood tried to catch it, but it soared through the hoop. "Sapling scored, 20-10 Gryffindor," Katy said dully. Lily caught McGonagall angrily hissing something to Katy, who just grinned and shrugged. 

"Moon takes the Quaffle--woah, wait, make that Tellman has the Quaffle--Moon and Sapling are coming in on her--am I the only one suspecting a foul? Tellman takes a giant shot--don't think it's gonna make it--Doors catches the Quaffle in mid-air! WOAH! Doors has it--she shoots--30-10 GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindors screamed wildly. 

Moon, obviously enraged that Gryffindor had so many shots, grabbed the Quaffle and did a series of spirals that left everyone dizzy and started towards the Gryffindor end. Avery made himself available for a shot, and Moon passed it to him. _Oh no, _Lily thought, _he's going to make the shot! He's only two feet away! _"Oh no," Katy moaned. She realized the same thing. "Avery takes the shot--I DON'T BELIEVE IT! Wood blocked it!" Lily stood up and cheered, and she wasn't the only one. "It's still 30-10 Gryffindor!" 

"WAIT!" Katy yelled to the crowd, seeing Lynn race towards the Gryffindor end of the pitch. "What's Lynn doing? Has he seen the Snitch?" Lynn just kept flying, with Malfoy tailing him. Lynn reach out his hand--"HE'S GOT THE SNITCH! LYNN GOT THE SNITCH! 180-10 GRYFFINDOR!" Katy shouted in pride. Lynn disappeared in the crowd of people hugging him and congratulating him. Lily looked over at the rest of the crew to see how they were taking the victory. Sirius was jumping up and down, grinning and yelling insults at the Slytherins. Remus was more controlled, but he was clearly happy about the victory. Peter just gazed in awe at the Quidditch players. Finally, Lily looked at James. He wasn't anywhere in the stands...taking a glance around the field, he saw him on the ground talking to the Gryffindor players. _Typical, _she thought. 

"Party in the Gryffindor common room!" someone shouted, and everyone made a mad stampede to go back inside. Lily lost track of James, Peter, Remus, and Sirius in the horde, but figured she'd just meet up with them in the common room. Once she was on the steps to go into the Great Hall, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and saw James standing there. 

"Ready to party?" he asked. 

Lily grinned widely. "You bet." 


	4. Chapter 4

fivefriends4

**Chapter 4**

"Come on, Lily." 

"No." 

"Please?" 

"Absolutely not." 

"It would only be for a minute." 

"I said no." 

Sirius sighed. "Fine. I'll get Peter to do it." With that, he bounded off to the portrait of the Fat Lady to hopefully convince Peter to set off a Whirling Wheezy during Potions to get them out of a pop quiz (which Yunion had dropped hints about the day before, also mentioning that it would be a giant portion of their grade). 

A Whirling Wheezy was something Sirius had invented a few years back. It looked like a normal quill for writing, but if you dipped it in ink, it would change into a firework. But it wasn't an ordinary firework. Once you set it off, it whirled around the room, shooting sparks everywhere. After about two minutes, the entire firework would explode, finally setting off an entire magnificent show of colors. The final colors weren't just colors, however. They were paint, and everyone within distance would get sprayed with it. 

When asked by Remus why he named it a 'Whirling Wheezy', Sirius explained, "Well, it whirls around the room, and one time I set off the prototype when my Uncle Allen came over to dinner. It ended up exploding all over him, and he was laughing so hard he wheezed. He asked me what I named it, and it was the first thing that came to my mind." 

Lily also sighed once Sirius was out of earshot. He asked her to set one off, since she had a clean record in that class and he and James would automatically be placed in detention. Lily sensibly asked, "If you're going to get detention anyway, then why not go ahead and do it?" 

"_Because,_" Sirius said exaspertley, "Yunion's capable of anything. She might slip some Truth Serum into out pumpkin juice during dinner--" 

"Truth Serum?" Lily inquired. 

With a look of dislike on his face, Sirius answered, "Truth Serum. It makes you tell the truth to whoever asks a question. One drop can have you spilling your deepest secrets. Trust me, I know the consequences." He paused for a moment, then continued, "Anyway, the look on her face when she saw that we didn't do it will be priceless. She'll have to take back the detention." 

Lily laughed, "You expect her to do that?" 

"Forget it," he smiled, then proceeded to beg her to let one loose. Lily point blank refused--she wasn't going to get a weeks' worth of detentions for it. 

The portrait hole swung open. Lily glanced over, expecting to see a begging Sirius and a nervous Peter. Instead, she saw one of her roommates, Arabella Figg. With her long, blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes (not to mention a slim figure), she reminded Lily of a Muggle model that used to be on the covers of those magazines Petunia read all the time. 

"Hi," Arabella said kindly. "You're Lily, right?" 

"Yeah," Lily also smiled. "You're Arabella." She could easily put a name with that face: Arabella was one of the best people to work charms--she was right behind Lily. 

Arabella waved her hand. "Please, call me Bell, or even Bella. Arabella is way too fancy." 

The two proceeded to talk for an hour or two, including the interruptions of Sirius coming back in the common room and begging Bell to use a Whirling Weezy during Potions. To Lily and Sirius' suprise, she instantly agreed. 

*** 

"Remus? How's your mom?" Lily asked a few days later. Her and Remus were sitting in the common room, doing homework. Or at least Remus was--Lily hadn't been feeling good for days now. She had no idea what caused it or how she came about with it, she just knew that she had constant headaches. 

Remus glanced up. "What? Oh--she's fine now," he said hurriedly, as though he didn't want to talk about it. 

"Okay," Lily said slowly, trying to figure out whether he was avoiding the subject because she really wasn't better, or if he just didn't want to remember her during the time she was sick. Not coming up with an answer, she sighed and walked up to her dormitory. She flopped on her bed and closed her eyes, trying to rid herself of an awful headache that just came about when she was thinking so critically. 

"Lily? Lily, you feeling okay?" Bell's voice came closer as she approached. "My God, Lily!" she gasped. 

Lily sat up. "What?" 

"You look terrible!" 

Laughing weakly, Lily said, "I'm just tired. But thanks for the compliment." 

"No. You're going to Madam Pomfrey," Bell insisted. 

"I'm fine!" 

"Look at yourself in the mirror," Bell persisted. Lily took the hand held mirror Bell was offering her and hid her suprise: she really did look awful. Her hair was matted and tangled, her skin seemed to drop, and her eyes--they didn't even look like her own eyes anymore. They were a sickly, pale green. 

"What happened to you, dear?" the mirror asked in horror. Lily groaned and, ignoring Bell's words of caution, went back down to the common room. Remus was still sitting at a table, fevertly working on his Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment. James and Sirius were there now, too, talking in low voices while making wild gestures in the air with their hands. 

She sank into a chair. Remus looked up at her, looked down at his work, then did a double take. "You're sick," he said matter-of-factly. "Go to Madam Pomfrey." 

"I'm fine!" Lily shouted for what seemed like the hundredth time. "I just need to sleep..." 

"That's not good, because we have Potions in about ten minutes. Why weren't you at lunch, Lil?" James grinned a crooked grin, making Lily's heart flutter. She also gave a start when he called her "Lil". 

"I wasn't hungry." 

James's expression turned to concern. "Remus is right, you _are _sick. Please go to Madam Pomfrey, or Sirius and I will have to Body Bind you and take you there." 

Lily threw up her hands. "Fine! I'll go to Madam Pomfrey!" She stormed out of the common room and walked the long walk down to the Hospital Wing. All too soon, in her opinion, was she at the wooden doors of the Wing. She hesitated for a moment, then raised her hand to knock. But her hand never made it, for at that moment, she heard voices coming from inside. 

"Will he be alright, Poppy?" Lily recognized it as McGonagall's voice. 

"Yes, the poor boy will be physically fine. Mentally, I'm not so sure." This was Madam Pomfrey's. "But he won't be the only one who faints when they receive the news." Her voice suddenly turned into a whisper. "He's getting more powerful?" 

Lily's attention was sparked. Who were they talking about? Who was gaining power? "Yes, You-Know-Who is indeed growing. He's getting more and more followers each day. I don't know how we can hold him off much longer. Albus is working the best he can, as is the rest of the wizarding world." 

"I can't believe the Death Eaters managed to kill twenty people in a single raid. It's a massacre, that is." Madam Pomfrey said hatefully._ Twenty people killed! _Lily thought frantically. _Who is this You-Know-Who? _Wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn't notice that she was leaning on the door too heavily. However, she did notice when the doors burst open and she was thrust to the ground. 

"Er--" Lily started, seeing McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey stare at her, suprised. "I feel kind of off-color. Mind fixing me up?" she said lamely. 

*** 

Fifteen minutes later, Lily was sitting in her desk in the cold Slytherin dungeons. Madam Pomfrey had hastily given her some Pepper Up Potion, and then sent her on her way. She had been five minutes late for Potions, and it cost Gryffindor five potions. 

She still couldn't get the overheard conversation out of her mind. Who was this person, You-Know-Who? Why were they so afraid of him? How could he kill 20 people? 

True to her word, Yunion was giving a pop quiz. "You will make a Nuquilla Potion. Look in your books for the ingredients. You have until the end of the period." she said, sneering unpleasantly at them all. Lily was outraged._ How unfair! We have to make a potion we've never even heard of in one hour's time, and for a pop quiz! _her mind screamed. 

Behind her, Sirius nudged Bell. Bell, receiving the signal, took a brightly colored package from inside her cloak. Lily smiled. It was the Whirling Wheezy...looks like the prank would do some good, after all. 

Yunion turned her back to the class and started walking back towards her desk. Bell hurriedly undid the string on the parcel and pulled out the firework. She whispered something, and a light came out of her wand--no, make that a fire. The wand was getting closer to the wick on the firework--closer-- 

BAM! The firework went off and shot into the sky. Blue, green, yellow, purple, red, white, black, orange--every color sparks you could name came bursting from the inside, and it whizzed around the room. It reminded Lily of the fireworks display she and her family once saw when they visited an aunt in America. 

It continued to whiz around the room, and chaos insured. Yunion shouted herself hoarse ("GET BACK IN YOUR SEATS!"), students yelled in triumph and shock, girls shrieked and hid under the tables to avoid getting hit with them, and Bell, James, Peter, Remus, and Sirius just sat, laughing. Lily couldn't stand it--she started laughing, too. 

Finally, the bright colors slowed down, and the firework hovered in midair. Everyone sighed in relief: as exciting as it was, their eyes were hurting from the brightness of it all. Then, in a single motion, the firework rocketed upwards. And then it exploded. 

Dazzling colors went everywhere, spraying everyone. No one had black robes anymore, they were all different colors. It was very funny to see the normally bleak colors of the dungeon transformed into something that seemed to come out of a circus. After many shrieks and yells, everyone became silent. That is, except for the six friends. They were laughing hysterically, clutching their stomachs and almost falling out of their chairs. 

Lily was the first to regain her composure. She wiped her eyes and turned to her friends. They stopped laughing soon afterwards, and grinned at her. Suddenly, their faces changed and became frozen in identical looks of horror. Slightly confused, Lily saw that their eyes were trained behind her. She turned and saw her worst nightmare. 

Yunion was staring down at them, face beet-red with anger. She was so furious she was trembling. "Well, well, well," she sneered. "Look what we have here." 


End file.
